Travelling to Turkestan

By Airship

Türkistan Hava Yolları logo

The best way to get to Turkestan from any distance is by air.The national airline Türkistan Hava Yolları operates regular airship services to a number of global destinations out of its major hubs Buxara Enver International and Almalıq Alatau.Destinations served include:

From these cities, connections can be made to or from most major aerodromes anywhere in the world.

In addition to Türkistan Hava Yolları, Turkestani routes are also serviced by Lufthansa, BOAC, Aeroflot and other carriers.

Overland

If you have a more extended time available for travelling, there are also good road and rail connections with Russia, Uyguristan and Persia.Overland crossings into Tibet are more problematic – there are no rail lines going across the mountains, and the few roads are all smaller mountain highways which lack the capacity for much traffic.

By Sea

Route of the Eurasia Canal

With the newly-opened Eurasia Canal connecting the Mazandaran Sea to the Sea of Azov, and thence the Black Sea, the possibility of travelling to Turkestan by sea has become a serious option.The ports of Qızıl-Su and Aqtau are currently more set up to handle cargo than passengers, but there are plans to develop a large passenger facility at Qızıl-Su.

For the time being, though, the era of being able to book passage on a ship bound for Turkestan is still in its infancy.

Visas

Citizens of fellow members of the Silk Road League (Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Turkey, Uyguristan and the MNR) as well as citizens of the Russian Federation may travel to Turkestan for up to 90 days without needing a visa.

For most foreign citizens, however, a visa is necessary.In most cases, these can be obtained on arrival at the aerodrome, however, if you are planning an extended visit and need a visa for over 90 days, you should contact your local Turkestani diplomatic mission.